Cold, Cold Heart – How the Other Half Live and Die

‘How the Other Half Live and Die’ is a cinematic and spacious debut album written and recorded by multi-instrumentalists Robert Manning, Chris Daniel and Gareth Jones.

Robert, Chris and Gareth assembled in early 2014 out of friendship and a shared admiration for bands such as Stars of the Lid, Low and Sparklehorse. What started as a simple coming together to craft percussionless compositions in a spare bedroom turned into something more focused after recognition for their first release, ‘Stand/still’. Encouraged by appreciation from Simon Raymonde (Bella Union, Amazing Radio) and Kara Manning (Rolling Stone, WFUV Radio) amongst others, Cold, Cold Heart was born.

The album is Cold, Cold Heart’s shared soundtrack to life; to the fear and beauty in death; to infatuation and devotion; to the band’s personal battles with illness. With Robert’s 10-year struggle living with multiple sclerosis a constant backdrop, delicacy and simplicity resonate in all that the band does. The most important instrument is the listener’s imagination.

Here are some reviews about their music. Sean Adams (Drowned in Sound): "...like Explosions in the Sky caught up in Low's ominous dark storm clouds." Gideon Coe (BBC 6 Music): "Wistful, to my ears.

April Rain – Leave Me No Light

April Rain is indeed post-rock in the purest tradition of the genre; melodic and spaced-out guitars, bass sometimes on its own, the bringing together of a furious medley of guitars and drums. As other instrumental bands will do, they choose to use strong poetic song titles similar to those of Explosions in the Sky or Mogwai. Terry Fox Will Run Forever or Teach Me to Fly Don’t Teach Me To Land evoke so much by their titles alone that we kind of get into the song before we’ve started listening. When our attention is on an album, we find ourselves trying to find connections between the music and the song title; sometimes, the connection seems crystal clear, and sometimes we are totally confused!

Even if April Rain don’t distance themselves from traditional post-rock structures with the songs building and building in intensity a bunch of times, they nonetheless manage to bring this proven formula to a new level. All the instruments have their special moments when they build this intensity and when they finally play all together, the energy and intensity that emerges is immediately palpable. Sometimes, furious tribal tom-tom drumming hits you right in the face and a cinematic, guitar-driven loud explosion of sound destroys you like in Queue Up for Infinity. Sometimes, the building is a very slow, careful process and emotionally charged, like in I’m All Crying Inside. The guys in April Rain know how to compose a song, and that reflects in every different angle they take.

By the end of the album, the impression I had on it at the very beginning was confirmed. This is, along with Spurv’s Skarntyde, the best instrumental rock album of the year and one of the best albums of 2015. Some moments are better than others, (Violent Passion Surrogate or Terry Fox Will Run Forever are two big highlights) but there is a remarkable coherence in the effort, talent, energy and emotion through the entire album. If you’re one of those people claiming that post-rock is dead or lacks originality, this is one album to prove you wrong.

Kovlo – Timelapse

“Timelapse” is a personal and original synthesis of many post-rock, instrumental and experimental rock sounds of music history. KOVLO’s music moves between romance and anger, hope and despair, creating a melancholic and anxious soundtrack for the contemporary, the past and the future world crisis.

“Timelapse” evokes time, time that passes and can’t be stopped, time that can be recreated with music. Each song title recalls an event that occurred during the birthday of each band member: “Walesa” Lech Walesa who becomes president of Poland (1990), “Opec raid” Carlos the Jackal who attacks the Opec meeting (1975), “The Dakota Killing” the end of John Lennon (1980), “Suez” the reopening of the channel (1975), “Lake Nyos” the volcano that kills thousands of people (1986). Every song is a movement of time, a flow that gives the chance to the listener to explore feelings, emotions, images and ideas from the present, the future and the past.

La Gran Perdida de Energia – The Other Continent

"The other continent" is the new Ep La Gran Pérdida de Energía, that contains a new song called "Ballena del Caribe" and three reversals titled album "La Gran Pérdida de Energía" . The EP was recorded live in session format and audiovisual registo with new members , Ignacio in Bass and Axel in Drums.

The song that opens the album (Ballena del Caribe) is musically pave the way for new works, perhaps incorporating tropical resources , cheerful guitars,drums and bass uniforms and compelling to try to achieve a shift in terms of previous work.

Seeming Emptiness – Conversion

Seeming Emptiness is an instrumental solo project of Kevin Möckel from Saxony, Germany. Kevin thinks that “Doom-touched post-rock” is the easiest way to define his style. Seeming Emptiness combines the crushing guitars and dark melodies of doom metal with the dreamy, gently soundscapes of post-rock. The mood of the music is mostly very melancholic and emotional and the songs tell instrumental stories. Massive guitars, atmospheric synths and lead guitars in two voices are significant for the music.

Conversion is the first full length album of Seeming Emptiness. It contains nearly 51 minutes of music, parted into 6 songs which will take you on a atmospheric journey from darkness to light.

Draff Krimmy & Continental Fruit – Existenz

Draff Krimmy is not a band. It is a project between people from all over the world who communicate in the language of music. The central person in this project is Jan, a German guy living in Norway. draff krimmy started with “Präexistenz” in 2002, a track inspired by love, Rodion Raskolnikoff, and an acoustic home recording including songs about suicide and life. In 2003 the next piece, “Inteventuell” was recorded. It was inspired by a honeymoon, A Silver Mt. Zion and Dumas` Le comte de Monte Cristo. It was an experimental piece created by people who didn`t know each other before. (5 songs/almost 60 minutes).

Draff Krimmy signed to Fluttery Records in 2010. Their 11 track full length “Poetry Of Vår” is their label debut which was also their first official release (previously released by How Is Annie Records).

The second album, Existenz comes in 2015. This time it is a collaboration with Continental Fruit (Jon Øyvind “the captain”), a Norwegian and his synthesizer. He started up back in 1995 on borrowed equipment and released a cassette with the Gold Soundz-fanzine. Later he invested in his own equipment, released a few albums and contributed to compilations on various labels.

"Life is a wonderful journey. Vulnurable and massive. It’s about love, anxiety, boredom and other exciting ingredients." says Jan.

Existenz, where the beginning and the end is set. What happens in between is like a conceptual voyage through various phases and genres. A bit like life itself. Improvised ambient, folky post-rock with an electronic twist.

Neko Nine & The Creator Of – Meet The Forest

This split album is made by Neko Nine (Yaroslavl, Russia) and The Creator Of (Tokyo, Japan). Each band presented two tracks. In the “Japanese” part we can hear measured anxious melodies mixed with harsh guitar sound and rock drums which sometimes become kinda ethnic. Neko Nine’s music gives us breathtaking drama with calm introductions and forcible culminations. And again we find folk elements like tin whistle and handclaps.

Being so different, these bands made a well-balanced and one-of-a-kind release. This release is the product of different cultures, it was born on crossroads of Japanese and Russian cultural traditions and western music styles. In “Meet The Torest” we can hear how musicians in Russia and Japan transform modern guitar instrumental music.

Sleepstream – They Flew In Censored Skies

Sleepstream released their debut album "A Waltz With The Seventh Crane" on Fluttery Records in 2011. The album was welcomed by post-rock / post-metal listeners from all over the world. Its deeply melancholic and warm rhythmic parts created the space for the heavy guitars to move between the violin & cello.

The band headlined shows throughout Greece, played a show in Bulgaria and supported events with Crippled Black Phoenix, Long Distance Calling, Tides from Nebula, Mental Architects and Midas Fall to name a few.

Then came the new album. As Steven from the band says ‘They Flew in Censored Skies’ is an extremely great accomplishment for the band. Following the acceptance of ‘A Waltz With The Seventh Crane’, Sleepstream felt they had, not only to write some new material, but to progress and show the world they’re here to stay!"

Sleepstream’s mindset for this album was to “capture” their live sound with their full-scale dynamics and give the listener the best possible perception of the energy their compositions have.

“We think this album is a natural progression for the band, its just feels right. The music grows with us because in many ways, we are the music. We think that especially listeners familiar with our first album will appreciate the heart and soul we put into it and enjoy the edge we tried to put forward,” says Nio, drummer for the band. It seems that the album will satisfy the listeners of post-metal and post-rock genre who thinks that atmosphere is important.

Arms Of Tripoli – Dream In Tongues

Arms of Tripoli's first full length album is nothing short of a spectacular sonic great album, characterized by layer upon layer of dream guitars, spread out like a deep field panoramic picture from the Hubble telescope. With this album, the band pushes the boundaries of not only the margins they set for themselves with their debut EP (All the Fallen Embers), but of the instrumental music genres in which they are often classified as well. Again the band collaborated with fellow musicians who lent their own interpretation and vision of the songs to the recording, helping to further shape and structure the overall album.

Dream in Tongues is a unique representation of the evolution of the band in both its musical style and composition techniques. The individual musical idiosyncrasies of each member, along with the additional musical collaborators, all mesh thoroughly into a refreshingly modern approach to the post-rock genre, resulting in an aural delight that is sure to enchant and captivate!

Beneath The Watchful Eyes – We Held Our Breath Until Our Hearts

Beneath The Watchful Eyes plays well-built postrock music that is cinematic and influenced by electronic music. The duo is from Blackpool UK, Simon Morgan and Barry Parkinson are also members of another post-rock band; Goonies Never Say Die. Simon was also a member of Midas Fall.

Having released two albums with their band Goonies Never Say Die, they decided to retreat into their home studio and get busy trying to create something unique and beautiful. This is the sound that came out of hours of experimenting with different tones, beats and emotions. Ranging from glitch/math post-rock to ambient piano pieces swathed in electronic noise, Beneath The Watchful Eyes create music which has an over-arching feel but with constant changes in dynamic.

Like a sincere apocalypse in a cathedral, Beneath The Watchful eyes take every emotion you never knew you had and effortlessly soundtrack it using only vast soundscapes, swathes of electronica noise and biting guitars, coming across like a vast explosion only backwards and in slow motion. Taking the core writing duo of post-rock band Goonies Never Say Die and stripping everything back to the bare bones, Beneath The Watchful Eyes lay their souls exposed to your own interpretations of their inner most thoughts.

Track List

Cold, Cold Heart - How the Other Half Live and Die

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April Rain - Leave Me No Light

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Kovlo - Timelapse

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La Gran Perdida de Energia - The Other Continent

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Seeming Emptiness - Conversion

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Draff Krimmy & Continental Fruit - Existenz

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Neko Nine & The Creator Of - Meet The Forest

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Sleepstream - They Flew In Censored Skies

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Track List

Arms Of Tripoli - Dream In Tongues

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Track List

Beneath The Watchful Eyes - We Held Our Breath Until Our Hearts

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